Country Now News

Margo Price was shocked and happy after receiving two 2026 Grammy nominations, for Best Traditional Country Album for Hard Headed Woman, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance with Tyler Childers on “Love Me Like You Used to Do.” The rising country star was up for Best New Artist back in 2019, revealing that the “last time I was nominated for a Grammy, I was also pregnant, and so I feel like I'm able to be fully present this time around." Price's nomination puts her up against her close friend and hero, Willie Nelson, whom she calls a "guiding light," as well as his sons, Micah Nelson, nominated with Willie for the album Oh What a Beautiful World, and Lukas Nelson, nominated for his debut solo record, American Romance. “No matter who wins, I’m going to be happy because I love everybody in that category," says Price, while joking, "I’ve only got to beat three Nelsons to win it.” The 2026 Grammy Awards will air live on CBS and Paramount+ on Sunday, February 1. (People)

Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia appeared to respond to ex Zach Bryan’s New Year’s Eve wedding to influencer Samantha Leonard by lip-syncing pointed Taylor Swift lyrics on TikTok just two days later, sparking fans’ support amid their October 2024 split. "Checkmate, I couldn't lose," LaPaglia cheekily lip-syncs along with Swift's 2022 track, "Mastermind," from her Grammy-winning Album of the Year, Midnights. Fans voiced their support for LaPaglia in the comments, with one writing, "Said a lot without saying nothing, my queen,” while another added, "You dodged a bullet." LaPaglia had previously accused Bryan of emotional abuse and alleged that he tried to silence her with a $12 million offer after their breakup. Bryan has not publicly addressed those claims, although the country superstar made a cryptic Instagram video where he set fire to a Barstool Sports flag, the media company that hosts his ex’s podcast. (People)

Jelly Roll has achieved a major milestone in his weight loss journey, shedding 275 pounds and landing on the cover of Men’s Health’s Winter 2026 issue, fulfilling a goal he set in 2024. Once weighing over 540 lbs. while battling obesity and food addiction that caused deep shame and daily struggles, the 41-year-old country singer credits his success to hiring a chef and sports nutritionist, prioritizing movement, and consistent physical therapy. Now weighing 265 lbs. and embracing his transformed body, Jelly Roll is proud of his remarkable transformation. "I've worked really hard and lost the weight the right way," he said, while adding, “I'm loving my body. This is a whole new thing for me, y'all.” Jelly plans to remove the excess skin from his dramatic weight loss sometime this year, while focusing less on a target weight and more on how he feels as he continues this life-changing journey. (People)

In a series of Instagram Stories, Maren Morris revealed that days before her New Year’s Eve performance at Times Square, she suffered the worst sinus infection of her life, causing severe facial swelling and an intense skin reaction. But thanks to antibiotics and medication, she was able to perform flawlessly at the high-profile holiday celebration. Despite the setback, the 35-year-old pop-country star delivered a sparkling show wearing a silver minidress and furry coat. On New Year’s Day, Morris shared some special moments from the night on Instagram, captioning her post: “performed in Times Square last night for NYE right as it started to snow, met the queen Diana Ross, and got super emo when confetti fell over thousands of hopeful, happy people in one of my favorite cities. happy 2026, world. 🌎 🪩” Morris released her fourth studio album, Dreamsicle, in May 2025, which chronicled her 2023 divorce from Ryan Hurd. (People)

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl notches its 12th nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart (dated Jan. 11, 2026), marking her second-longest run atop the chart behind 17-week rule of The Tortured Poets Department in 2024. Showgirl surpasses Swift’s previous 11-week reigns of 1989 and Fearless, and is the longest-running No. 1 album since Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem topped the chart for 12 nonconsecutive weeks in 2025 and SZA’s SOS scored its 13th week at No. 1 following the deluxe release in May of 2025. Showgirl earned 81,000 equivalent album units in the latest tracking week, with streaming accounting for 47,000 units and album sales for 33,000.

The Christmas albums that dominated the Billboard 200 Top 10 over the holiday season have plummeted down the chart, allowing Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving to reach a new peak as it vaults up ten places to No.4, surpassing its No. 5 high in November, while Peso Pluma and Tito Double P’s DINASTÍA debuts at No. 6, marking the third Top 10 for the former and the first for the latter. The rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by a series of former chart-toppers, as Wallen’s I’m the Problem climbs four spots to No. 2, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack jumps seven slots to No. 3, Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend surges 14 places to No. 5, SZA’s SOS vaults up 17 spots to No. 7, Tate McRae’s So Close To What jumps 19 slots to No. 8, Wallen’s One Thing at a Time leaps up 27 places to No. 9, and Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet rockets 20 spots to reach No. 10. (Billboard)

In an Instagram video shared on New Year’s Eve, Stephen Wilson Jr. reflected on a whirlwind 2025 that was marked by a series of key career milestones. The highpoints include releasing a deluxe version of his debut album, søn of dad, and the Blankets EP featuring a collection of rock covers, with the 46-year-old rising country star earning a New Artist of the Year nomination at the CMA Awards, and performing twice during the ceremony. Wilson Jr. also made a bunch of  high-profile appearances throughout the year, such as singing the National Anthem at the NFL Draft, headlining Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for the very first time, touring with HARDY, opening for Eric Church at Red Rocks, and debuting at Newport Folk Festival. In the clip, he thanked fans for their support during a hectic year and teased his upcoming Gary the Torch Tour which kicks off in March. (Billboard)

Dolly Parton shared a heartfelt New Year’s message to her fans on Instagram on Wednesday (December 31), hoping that 2026 would be “your most wonderful year yet” and filled with “more blessings than you can count.” The 79-year-old country legend reflected on a challenging 2025 that was marked by the loss of her husband, Carl Dean, after nearly 60 years together, and personal health issues that forced her to postpone her Las Vegas residency and cancel numerous public appearances. But Parton also celebrated significant milestones, including a high-profile collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, reworking Mötley Crüe’s “Home Sweet Home” with the hair metal icons, and receiving an honorary Oscar at the Motion Picture Academy’s Governors Awards. Despite putting songwriting on hold during her grief, the country legend remains active and optimistic as she looks ahead to the new year. (Rolling Stone)

Zach Bryan and Samantha Leonard were married in Spain just before the new year, with the country star confirming the news on Instagram on Thursday (January 1). The post featured a wedding portrait of the newlyweds captioned, “Tougher than the rest,” a lyric from Bruce Springsteen’s 1987 song that Bryan reportedly performed during the celebration. Footage circulating online showed the couple in wedding attire driving away in a convertible marked “just married.” The pair, first publicly seen together in summer 2025, have kept their relationship private until now. Bryan had a high-profile break-up with podcaster Brianna LaPaglia in 2024, and was previously married to Rose Madden from 2020-2021. The musician recently completed his highly successful Quittin’ Time Tour, which brought in $159.6 million and was the third-highest grossing country tour of 2025. Bryan will release his new album, With Heaven on Top, on January 9, and will launch the With Heaven On Tour in 2026. (Billboard)

CBS’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash experienced a roughly 12-minute technical outage about 50 minutes into the December 31 broadcast, prompting the network to unexpectedly air an episode of Matlock during the interruption. The glitch occurred mid-performance by Lainey Wilson, leading the network to cut away to a commercial break followed by the sudden programming shift, which caused viewers to express their frustration on social media. Once the broadcast resumed, hosts Bert Kreischer and Hardy apologized before Gretchen Wilson took the stage. Despite the glitch, the five-hour special featured performances by major country acts like Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Dwight Yoakam, and Bailey Zimmerman. The event aired from Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, and featured a live watch party hosted at Luke Combs’ Category 10 in Nashville. CBS has yet to issue an official statement regarding the broadcast’s technical difficulties. (Billboard)

Morgan Wallen has been named Billboard’s Top Artist of 2025, becoming the first male country act to achieve the honor in over 30 years, following Garth Brooks’ back-to-back year-end wins in 1992-93. The recognition was fueled by the massive success of Wallen’s 2025 album, I’m the Problem, which spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as the continued popularity of his earlier albums, One Thing at a Time and Dangerous: The Double Album. Wallen also placed 41 songs on the Hot 100, including nine Top 10 hits and the No. 1 single, “What I Want” featuring Tate McRae. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl comes in at No. 1 on the year-end Billboard 200 Albums chart, marking her fifth time at No. 1 on the final tally, while also making her the Top Female Artist of 2025. Notably, Swift was the last country act to be crowned the overall Top Artist of the Year back in 2009, marking her first win in the annual recap at the time. (Billboard)

Megan Moroney was named the Storyteller of the Year at Variety’s Hitmakers event in Los Angeles on Saturday night. The 28-year-old country star credits her storytelling prowess to crafting relatable songs, like those featured on her gold-certified sophomore album, Am I Okay?, which led to her being named CMA’s New Artist of the Year in 2024, followed by a sold-out tour noted for its passionate, predominantly young female audiences. Moroney is preparing to release her third album, Cloud 9, on February 20, marked by a softer, more confident sound that still emphasizes detailed narratives in the songs which create deep emotional connections with listeners, even those who haven’t lived the exact experiences described in the lyrics. Moroney was honored to be named Variety’s Storyteller of the Year, admitting that “I gravitated towards country music at a young age because when you really pay attention to the lyrics, it puts you in that exact spot.” (Variety)

Trisha Yearwood has shared her cherished holiday traditions in a new interview with People, including a yearly cookie party where family and friends bring their favorite recipes from their childhood. The 61-year-old country star also says she waits to decorate the Christmas tree until the whole family is together – usually by her wedding anniversary on December 10, a date she marks as special since marrying Garth Brooks during the holidays. She keeps decorations up through January to enjoy the festive atmosphere, and bakes nostalgic treats like her mother’s cheese straws and a beloved green punch that she calls the "best in the world." Yearwood just released a new holiday album, Christmastime, featuring meaningful seasonal songs including a favorite from A Charlie Brown Christmas, and an original romantic duet with Brooks, “Merry Christmas Valentine.” Yearwood is also celebrating the festive season with her 12 Days of Christmas Tour across several US cities this December. (People)

In a recent discussion about Christmas traditions with his record label, Big Loud, Morgan Wallen revealed that his favorite holiday movie is the 2003 comedy Elf, starring Will Ferrell. “I don’t watch many Christmas movies, but if I had to pick, probably Elf,” Wallen said. When the country superstar was asked if he preferred real or fake Christmas trees, Wallen responded, “I like real, but I didn’t grow up with real. My mom always kept a few fake ones.” The 32-year-old Sneedville, Tennessee native shared, “My mom is a big decorator, so I kinda got some of that from her. I enjoy the decorations,” while he added, “It’s always the saddest day of the year for me when the Christmas tree goes away.” After a busy year promoting his blockbuster album, I’m the Problem, which topped the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks and ranked No. 2 on their 2025 Year-End chart, Wallen was ultimately named the publication’s Top Artist of 2025. (Billboard)

Rosé and Bruno Mars’ hit “APT.” dominated Apple Music’s 2025 global year-end charts, topping multiple categories including the overall Global Songs, Shazam, Radio, and Lyrics charts. While Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s chart-topping collaboration, “Luther,” secured the No. 2 spot, with Lamar placing five songs in the Top 25 and nine in the Top 100. Other notable entries include Lady Gaga and Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Lola Young’s “Messy,” and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” which all ranked highly on the Global Songs and Global Radio charts, while Morgan Wallen led all artists with the most Top 100 entries, as a total of 12 of his songs appeared on the tally. Apple Music’s global year-end charts was released to coincide with its annual Apple Replay ’25, which provides users with a comprehensive look back at their listening habits over the past year. (Variety)

Bad Bunny dominates Spotify’s 2025 year-end Wrapped campaign, securing the No. 1 spot as the Global Top Artist with over 19.8 billion streams, ahead of Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, and leading the Global Top Albums chart with DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. This marks Benito’s fourth time being recognized as Spotify’s global streaming leader, after ruling the rankings in 2020, 2021 and 2022. His single “DtMF” ranks No. 5 globally, while Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile” tops the global songs chart, followed by Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” at No. 2, while Mars' collab with Blackpink’s Rosé, “APT.” comes in at No. 3, and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” is No. 4. Swift is the top U.S. artist (after coming in second globally), while Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem is the most streamed album in the U.S., and Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s joint track, “Luther,” was the most streamed song in America. Bad Bunny’s continued streaming success sets the stage for his Super Bowl Halftime Show headlining performance in February, while reinforcing his status as one of the world’s biggest artists in 2025. (Billboard)

Billboard's 2025 year-end Boxscore charts reveal that Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour was the highest-grossing country tour ever, earning $407.6 million from 32 shows across North America and Europe, while selling 1.6 million tickets. Following Beyoncé are Post Malone's Big Ass Stadium Tour with $231.1 million earned while selling 1.6 million tickets over 51 shows, while Zach Bryan's The Quittin’ Time Tour is third on the list after grossing $159.6 million and selling 941,000 tickets during its 29 show run. Other top country tours include Luke Combs ($76.4M), George Strait ($75.4M), Jelly Roll ($67.5M), and Chris Stapleton ($65.2M), with Kelsea Ballerini the only woman to crack the Top 10, as her ‘Live on Tour’ earned $39.5M after selling 366,000 tickets during 36 shows. With a consistent 14.5% share of the top 100 tours’ grosses, country remains a dominant genre, blending established stars and crossover artists while reflecting strong growth and enduring popularity. (Billboard)

Taste of Country’s list of the Top 10 country albums of 2025 showcase a diverse range of styles unified by one key element: authenticity, with artists confidently embracing their unique identities and connecting deeply with fans. Topping the list is Tyler Childers’ Snipe Hunter, which blends eccentric storytelling with mainstream appeal, proving he can grow in fame without losing his roots, while Parker McCollum’s self-titled fifth album comes in at No. 2 on the strength of strong songwriting that honors his Texas roots. Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping I’m the Problem, despite its massive commercial success, ranks eighth, highlighting the year's rich competition.

Other standout albums reflect varied approaches, from Jake Owen’s candid reflection on personal struggles in Dreams to Dream, to Margo Price’s blend of traditionalism and political commentary on Hard Headed Woman, and Eric Church’s experimental concept album, Evangeline vs. the Machine. Emerging talents like CMA New Artist of the Year Zach Top and Carter Faith and established artists like Thomas Rhett and Maddie & Tae also made powerful artistic statements, all proving that, in today’s expansive country genre, staying true to oneself remains the ultimate key to success. (Taste of Country)

Cooper Alan and his wife Hally, high school sweethearts who were married in September 2023, joyfully welcomed their first child, daughter Coley Frances Cooper, on December 17, sharing the news in an adorable post on Instagram. Alongside a carousel of photos of the new parents and their baby girl, the couple captioned their post, “Coley Frances Cooper 💗 Everything we’ve prayed for, dreamed about, & then some!” The couple had announced their pregnancy in June 2025 with a heartfelt video set to Taylor Swift’s “But Daddy I Love Him,” captioning the clip, “sweetest news we’ve ever shared 🤍🤍🤍.”  The 29-year-old country music star told People after their wedding in 2023, "I’ve wanted to marry Hally since the 10th grade and now it’s official!. I'm so happy to get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend,” while Hally described their marriage as "the joy of my life.” (People)

As Shania Twain’s iconic 1999 video for “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” recently surpassed 500 million views on YouTube, the Canadian country-pop star reflects on its groundbreaking role reversal and bold fashion that challenged genre norms and empowered femininity. Directed by Paul Boyd and styled by Mark Bauer, the video parodied Robert Palmer’s 1985 clip for “Addicted to Love” by featuring Twain shedding traditional masculine attire to reveal her confident, sexy persona. Despite initial industry concerns about its sexiness alienating female fans, Twain emphasized that the video – for the eighth single from her 20x-platinum 1997 studio album, Come On Over – was about owning sexuality with humor and empowerment. Nearly 25 years later, the video remains a cultural milestone that helped solidify Twain’s crossover superstar status while becoming one of the most watched country music videos of all time. “I was already pushing the limits in the country genre; this was going to push things over the limits," Twain says. (Holler)

In a new interview with The New Yorker, Willie Nelson revealed that he remains physically active and thriving at the age of 92, regularly doing exercises and continuing to perform live, claiming that “singing for an hour is good for you.” His daughter Amy agrees, saying that keeping up his rigorous performance schedule is “literally keeping him alive.” Willie described himself as being “in pretty good shape, physically, for ninety-two,” while his wife Annie, 69, humorously claimed that Willie seems to be reverse aging. “He just keeps going and going,” Annie said, while joking that “He’s Benjamin Buttoning me.” Despite past health challenges including emphysema and a severe case of COVID-19, Willie keeps touring and performing regularly, supported lovingly by Annie and their family. The couple, married since 1991, share two sons and maintain a close-knit family life, with Willie also a father to five daughters from previous marriages. (People)